The King and Queen, Crown Princess and Princess Madeleine receive Finland's Presidential couple. Click on the image to see the full version. Photo: Pontus Lundahl, Scanpix.

Finland's President Tarja Halonen and her husband Dr Pentti Arajärvi are paying an official visit to Sweden on 15–16 January 2009, at the invitation of H.M. The King.

The programme includes the official inauguration of the Bicentenary of the separation of Finland from Sweden (Märkesåret 1808–1809), in the Swedish Parliament building. The Bicentenary 1809 is a government project, which is aimed at highlighting the 200th anniversary of the separation of Finland from Sweden.

The inauguration took place in the presence of The King and Queen, The Crown Princess, Princess Madeleine, Sweden's Speaker, Finland's Speaker, Finland's Prime Minister, Sweden's Prime Minister, and the Permanent Secretary of the Swedish Academy. The King and Queen are holding a banquet in honour of President Halonen and Dr Arajärvi on the evening of 15 January at the Royal Palace in Stockholm.

The Presidential couple and The King and Queen are to visit Botkyrka and Södertälje on Friday 16 January.